Discovering the Borland Nature Walk
The Borland Nature Walk is located just inside Fiordland National Park on Borland Road, between Lake Monowai and Lake Manapouri. The short, easy loop track is an excellent introduction to the park's beech tree rainforests and the intensely green lichen and moss along the tracks and around the trees. As a nature trail, it also features information panels along the way that provide insights into the local flora and fauna.
Walking the Track
The car park is a short distance from the Borland Lodge, a popular place for families and school trips. At the start of the Borland Nature Walk, you will notice lean-to huts crafted by children from fallen branches among the trees.
The walk then follows the track along a ridge above Pig Creek, amongst beech trees, with the sides of the trail and undergrowth adorned with the vibrant green moss and colourful beech tree leaf litter, features of the region's trails. A short walk downhill takes you to a swingbridge across the stream, from where you can do a loop that follows the side of the stream southeast for about 500 metres, then swings around and heads back to the swingbridge.
The total distance is around 2.2 km and takes 40 minutes.
Connecting Tracks and Extended Walks
Borland Lodge provides basic accommodation options beneath the power pylons. From here, you can walk the Burnt Ridge Track to Lake Monowai.
From the Borland Nature Walk, you can link to the South Borland Track as a hiking option, which follows the stream north for several kilometres before climbing back up to Borland Road. Tramping options include the Eldrig Peak Track, with access from the road about 500 metres south of the north end of the South Borland Track. This track climbs from 400 metres to 1200 metres to the tops of the mountains.
For those seeking a longer adventure, you can continue on a tramping track to the North Borland Hut, a journey totalling 12 km and taking approximately 6 to 8 hours.
How to Get There
To reach Borland Road from the Southern Scenic Highway, take Lake Monowai Road. After 7 km, Borland Road continues to the west, and Lake Monowai Road veers to the southwest. The small hydro power station and hamlet of Monowai are just before the intersection.
Other walks in the region include the Monowai Lookout Track, the Green Lake Track, and Mt Burns Tops.
